Bustle



(No Model.)

T. P. TAYLOR.

BUSTLB. I

No. 359,231. Patented Mar. 8, 1887. V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS I. TAYLOR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,231,61ated March 8, 1887.

Application filed October 28, 1886. Serial No. 217,406. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bustles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the manufacture of wire bustles, and has for its object to simplify and cheapen their construction, and at the same time to greatly improve their operation 1n use.

IVith these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel construction of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, the several parts of the device being indicated by numbers.

Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are perspective views illustrating different ways in which I have carried my invention into effect.

It is of course well understood by those familiar with these articles that the essential requirements are that they shall be light and shall be so constructed as to collapse easily when the wearer sits down, but adapted to instantly spring back into place when the wearer rises, so that the drapery of the dress will be restored to the bozqfi'rmt condition, which is of course the primary object for which they are worn.

My improved bustle may be formed from a continuous strip of wire, nothing else being required except a cord or lace extending from side to side in the usual manner; or it may be formed in several pieces, as in Fig. 4.

1 denotes the side pieces 2, the ribs 3, coils to give additional spring to the ribs; 4, eyes through which the cord or lace 5 passes, and to which the ends of the ribs may be attached; and 6, a cross-piece at the top, which connects the two side pieces.

When made from a continuous strip of wire, my improved bustle is formed as follows: The cross-piece is the center of the strip of wire, and eyes 4 are formed at the opposite ends thereof. The ends of the wire are then bent downward substantially at right angles to the cross piece, to form the side pieces.

The ribs are formed by curving the wire outward and then inward diagonally over to the eye at the top of the opposite cross-piece, the ends of the wire being bent to form hooks 7, which engage the eyes.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I have formed coils 3 in the wire between the lower ends of the ribs and the lower ends of the side pieces. I have found that these coils may be dispensed with in practice, and in Fig. 3 I have shown a bustle made in that manner. I preferably, however, form coils at the inner ends of the ribs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cord 5 extends across from side piece to side piece,

being passed through the eyes, or through the coils, if used, or wound about the wire at the junction of the ribs and side pieces, as shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown a supple mental rib, 8, whose opposite ends engage the eyes at the top of the side pieces. This rib is curved outward as much as may be necessary to conform to the shape of the bustle, and is connected to the cross-piece by a tape or cord, 9. I11 use, when the wearer sits down, the ribs spring upward out of the way; but as soon as the wearer rises they spring back into place and cause the drapery of the dress to resume its original position. Ilie supplemental rib 8 drops down into place by gravity alone, its downward movement being limited by the tape or cord 9.

In the form shown in Fig. 4: the side pieces, cross-piece,'and the ribs are all made separate and are riveted together, coils being preferably used where the lower ends of the ribs join the side pieces.

It will be apparent from the drawings that one of the ribs is made slightly longer than the other, so as to lie outside of it and slide freely over it when the bustle is collapsed. In the drawings I have shown the ribs as crossing each other at a point about midway between the opposite ends of the side pieces. This, however, is a detail of construction that will of course have to be varied in accordance with the shape and style of the bustle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. As a new manufacture, a folding bustleconsisting of side pieces, a cross-piece connecting them, and two diagonal spring-ribs, each 10 coil, 3, and loosely connected to the other side piece at the top, and a supplemental rib whose opposite ends are loosely connected to eyes 4, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. TAYLOR.

WVitnesses:

A. M. WoosTER, C. E. RUeGLEs. 

